Chapter 36: Decisions Under Pressure

For family members, nothing frightens them more than losing both their loved ones and their wealth.

After Dr. Lin urgently conferred with the family outside, he quickly returned.

“The family insists that the hospital do everything possible to save the limb,” he announced.

Hearing this, everyone felt a measure of relief; at least their efforts hadn’t been in vain.

“Alright then, transfer the patient immediately to Orthopedics for further limb salvage surgery!”

Together, they carefully lifted the patient from the operating table onto the transfer bed and headed for Orthopedics.

“Dr. Xu, I’ll be off duty once I send the patient over,” Zhou Can said.

Dr. Lin had long reached his shift’s end, but with the injured still under care, he couldn’t leave yet.

“Understood. Zhou, lend a hand with the transport!”

Not fully at ease, Dr. Xu called upon the meticulous Zhou Can to assist further.

“Goodbye, everyone!”

The Anesthesiologist gathered his things and left with a confident stride. His team from Anesthesia was always on call to support all clinical departments. It was as if they were the legendary wanderers who appeared wherever needed.

Zhou Can and Dr. Xu wheeled the patient out of the operating room, where Nurse Ye Tingting was already waiting with the patient’s records.

Family members immediately swarmed around them.

There were only two family members.

A middle-aged woman, dressed in old-fashioned attire with creases around her eyes and forehead, likely the patient’s wife, had swollen eyes and was on the verge of tears. The other was a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl.

Clad in faded jeans, a cheap white T-shirt, and white canvas sneakers, her hair tied in a neat ponytail,

the young girl looked delicate and well-mannered, clearly still a student.

Her eyes were also reddened, tears welling up as she bit her crimson lips and gazed at the patient in sorrow.

“Dad!”

She rushed forward onto the transfer bed, calling out for her loved one.

“The patient has only just come out of anesthesia and is extremely weak. He’s unable to communicate at the moment. To save his limb, he needs to be taken immediately to the specialized Orthopedics unit for further surgery.”

Zhou Can felt deep sympathy for the family, though there was only so much he could do for them.

The middle-aged woman spoke in her local dialect as she pulled her daughter aside.

Just as the mother and daughter moved away, a man dressed head-to-toe in Adidas sportswear stepped forward with a smiling face.

“Doctor, may I ask if his legs can be saved?”

“And who exactly are you to ask about the patient?”

Zhou Can gave the man a wary glance.

Since the man could even smile, it was clear he wasn’t a family member.

“I’m the at-fault driver. Care for a smoke?”

The man produced a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and skillfully pulled out two, ready to share.

“No smoking allowed inside the hospital. Please put them away. As for saving the patient’s legs, it is still uncertain. But rest assured, we will do our utmost to preserve them,” Zhou Can replied.

Inside, Zhou Can mused that the at-fault driver did show a bit of conscience by caring about the patient’s well-being.

“Doctor, what if—if the limb salvage fails in the end?”

“Then we would have no choice but to amputate to save his life,” Zhou Can answered patiently.

“Could you at least give an approximate success rate for the limb salvage?”

After a silence of over ten seconds, the man pressed on.

“There’s no way to provide a definite answer. All we can say is that we will do everything possible to save the limb.” Zhou Can often felt exasperated when patients or their families asked such questions.

“Doctor, will I recover fully from this illness?”

“Doctor, how many days until I get better?”

…

No doctor could give an exact answer to such questions.

The man seemed to sense Zhou Can’s slight impatience and stopped pressing further.

Soon, Zhou Can and Dr. Lin managed to get the patient safely to the Orthopedics department.

At that moment, the at-fault driver pulled Zhou Can aside and whispered conspiratorially.

“Doctor, I think his legs are probably beyond saving. How about telling the family outright that amputation is the only option?”

Zhou Can rolled his eyes and immediately rejected him, “Sorry, that’s not something we can do.”

The at-fault driver was clearly worried that even if a limb salvage was attempted, it would ultimately lead to amputation—forcing him to face an additional expense of several hundred thousand in treatment fees.

An immediate amputation with a one-time compensation would be far more beneficial to him.

But he seemed oblivious to the fact that an amputation would trap the patient in a wheelchair for life, rendering him unable to care for himself and burdened with constant pain.

That kind of dual suffering, both physical and emotional, could drive many to despair and even suicide.

The at-fault driver’s heart was indeed dark.

“Doctor, if you help me get this done, I’ll give you 20,000. Don’t worry—I can pay in cash, and it’ll be kept completely confidential.”

“Why on earth do you think I’d take your money?”

Zhou Can replied with a wry smile, clearly amused.

“Well, you’re handsome and seem like a decent guy…”

Zhou Can cut him off, “I want the truth!”

The man’s attempts at flattery fell flat, drawing only a awkward chuckle.

“Honestly, I just noticed from your badge that you’re a resident doctor with a low rank and a modest income. Money tends to sway you easily,” the man finally admitted.

“You should have said, ‘My rank is low, so I can be influenced with a relatively small amount of money.'”

Zhou Can unceremoniously called him out again, “Ha, you’re quite the joker. But I was in an accident where I only had the minimum insurance—so the compensation from the insurer is paltry. I’m in a tough spot, likely facing tens of thousands in compensation to the injured. Spending as little as possible to settle this would be ideal.”

The man began to lament his misfortunes in front of Zhou Can.

“Your idea might seem appealing, but have you even thought about the injured? This is illegal first and foremost, and won’t your conscience bother you? Give it up,” Zhou Can advised before turning and walking away.

“Hey, doctor, if you think 20,000 is too little, how about an extra 10,000? Three grand in total? You could even share a grand with the other doctors—they’d all agree. It’s an easy 20,000 profit for you. You’re young, and your accent marks you as non-local. Surely, you’ll need money when buying a home or getting married,” the man argued, stepping closer and grabbing Zhou Can’s arm.

“I’m sorry, but you’ve got it wrong,” Zhou Can retorted; his disillusionment with the man was evident.

“What do you mean?” the man asked, confused.

“You’ve approached the most expensive doctor when bribing fees. If I were to be bought off for 3,000,000, that’d be worth considering,” Zhou Can continued. “I personally have assets nearing ten million—richer than most senior doctors. You really picked the wrong person if you thought you could sway me.”

Without a backward glance, Zhou Can walked away, leaving the disgruntled man fuming.

Who needs 3,000,000 to bribe Zhou Can anyway?

Between treatment fees and disability compensation, the total comes to only a million or two at most.

Failing to bribe Zhou Can, the man quietly pulled Dr. Lin aside.

Any doctor with a shred of conscience would never agree to such demands.

Zhou Can watched them both carefully.

All he saw was Dr. Lin, red-faced with anger, muttering a few words before returning shortly.

In that moment, Zhou Can gained a newfound respect for Dr. Lin’s character.

After handing over the patient, Zhou Can glanced at the pitiful expressions of the two family members.

“Auntie, please don’t worry too much. Have faith in the doctors—believe that your husband will stand again,” he reassured.

“Thank you, doctor,” the middle-aged woman responded hoarsely, showing her gratitude.

“Miss, you’re still studying, right?” Zhou Can asked, his eyes shifting to her daughter.

“Yes, I’m in my sophomore year,” the girl replied.

“That’s wonderful—college students possess knowledge and insight. You should help with decisions at home and never give up. Keep cheering for your dad,” he encouraged.

Some things Zhou Can couldn’t say outright, but he hoped his words would firmly cement the family’s resolve to pursue limb salvage.

Even if the man bribed other doctors, none would dare go against the family’s wishes.

“I will,” she promised.

Unaware that Zhou Can had layered meaning in his words, the girl simply believed that the young doctor was acting out of empathy.

This matter was no longer Zhou Can’s concern.

He headed straight back to the Emergency Department.

“Dr. Zhou!”

Dr. Lin hurried to catch up, giving him a thumbs-up.

“Aren’t we both making the same tough choices?”

Zhou Can winked at him.

“Ha ha, we’re kindred spirits! I need to finish my handover in the Emergency Department office—let’s go together,” Dr. Lin invited.

“That’s the spirit!” Zhou Can grinned,

“Dr. Zhou, not only are you noble in your medical ethics, but you’re also quite a character. I heard you topped the residency exams—then why end up in this dump of an Emergency Department? With your talent, you should be in Neurosurgery, Cardiac Surgery, or even Neurology, among the top departments,” Dr. Lin teased warmly.

Only true friends would speak so candidly.

Having spent many years at Tuyu Hospital, Dr. Lin knew well which departments thrived and which lagged behind.

“I wish I could go, but they clearly don’t favor me,” Zhou Can shrugged, a self-deprecating laugh escaping him.

Dr. Lin, realizing he had touched a nerve, quickly tried to smooth things over.

“Dr. Xu’s medical skills are indeed outstanding. I’m just curious why he’s only the attending in the Emergency Department?”

Zhou Can had long been curious about that himself. Now was the opportunity to find out more. As for not being chosen by the top departments, he had already come to terms with it.

With his medical expertise constantly improving, his breakthrough was only a matter of time.